Sarah Butler

Education

MA in applied sociology, Temple University
MA in philosophy, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
BA in sociology and history, with Honors, Wellesley College

Experience

Sarah Butler is one of the world’s foremost testifying experts in survey research and sampling, with over 15 years of experience designing and implementing complex consulting projects for clients involved in litigation, arbitration, regulatory proceedings, and business strategy. She has advised major brands including Apple, Walmart, Toyota, and Gatorade, and her research and testimony have been accepted in state and federal courts during bench and jury trials, by regulatory bodies like the ITC and the Copyright Board, and in arbitration venues.

Ms. Butler frequently conducts survey research and analysis in support of intellectual property disputes involving trademarks, patents, and alleged false advertising, including conducting surveys to establish likelihood of confusion, secondary meaning, and dilution. In patent matters, Ms. Butler has designed studies to determine the value attributable to a patented feature. She has also designed and implemented surveys in a range of consumer class action matters including those related to privacy and data sharing, product labeling, and product liability. In antitrust matters, she has designed and evaluated surveys offered to estimate market shares and as evidence of cross-shopping behaviors.

Ms. Butler is an expert in consumer perception studies and experimental design and has designed and evaluated complex survey designs including willingness to pay and hypothetical choice surveys. She has also reviewed secondary market research with a focus on evaluating its reliability and potential limitations as evidence.

Ms. Butler also offers expert testimony in sampling matters. She has designed and evaluated samples in employment litigation and product testing cases. Outside of litigation, Ms. Butler assists companies with brand awareness and brand tracking studies and claim substantiation work.

Prior to joining NERA, Ms. Butler worked in market research, conducting survey research, focus groups, and in-depth interviews.